Many states and localities recently passed laws or have pending legislation that would require employers to provide paid sick days to employees.

Considered one of the most extensive paid sick leave laws in the country, New York City’s newly expanded law became effective April 1. It requires all businesses with five or more employees to provide their workers with up to five paid sick days annually. Effective January 24, Jersey City, N.J., requires private employers who have 10 or more employees to provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year.

There is no federal requirement for paid sick leave, although certain aspects of the Fair Labor Standards Act will apply with exempt employees.

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San Francisco, the District of Columbia, Seattle, Portland and Connecticut all have variations of paid sick leave laws. Further, paid sick day campaigns exist in 18 states and at least four cities.

Paid sick day laws vary by jurisdiction, but they generally follow a basic formula that allow workers to use the paid sick days for themselves, their children, their spouses, or in the aftermath of family violence. In stark contrast, at least 14 states have passed or have proposed preemptive laws that bar any city or county within the state from enacting their own paid leave standards.

How your business could be affected

Given the recent wave of new laws and legislation, the debate is escalating between businesses and employee advocates.

Many employers oppose paid sick leave on the basis that, among other reasons, such laws increase costs at a time when businesses already face higher healthcare costs, unemployment insurance, and a rising minimum wage. These laws invite worker abuse, and the additional government imposed conditions place yet another regulatory burden on small businesses.

Jay Starkman is the founder and CEO of Engage PEO. Engage provides HR services and counsel to help clients minimize costs and maximize efficiency through a full range of health and worker’s compensation insurance products, payroll technology and tax administration, risk management services and best-of-breed technology as part of an extensive suite of HR services. Starkman has a law degree from the University of Miami.